Hometeam Mid-Wach Basketball: Algonquin has sights on a return to No. 1

There’s a timeout on the court and the Algonquin Regional boys’ basketball team retreats to the bench.

As the starters assume their seats and the reserves huddle around to listen to the strategy, Tomahawks coach Brian Doherty begins his usual ritual.

He walks out to the key area inside the paint, scuffs the floor at some imaginary water spot, and then does an about-face and saunters back to his players, who anxiously await his instructions.

“When I do that, it kind of resets me, and the kids know that,” said first-year coach Doherty. “I let the kids for 10 seconds sit there and they encourage each other. They talk among themselves while I think about what I’m gonna say. Then I go in the huddle. I get in, they quiet down, and we just discuss.”

Hitting the reset button is exactly what the Tomahawks hope to do this week.

After reaching the top of the Hometeam Media Poll two weeks ago, Algonquin (16-1) was ousted by upstart South High, which defeated ranked teams Fitchburg High, Wachusett Regional and co-No. 1 St. John’s last week. The Tomahawks had six first-place votes, but fell to second after wins over Shrewsbury and North Middlesex.

However, South’s loss to unranked Holy Name on Tuesday, combined with Algonquin’s win over No. 10 Fitchburg in overtime, may vault the Tomahawks back into the top spot.

“The chemistry on the team has just been phenomenal,” said Doherty, who served as an assistant for several years before succeeding Chris Foy as head coach at the beginning of this season. “We’re a young team; we have two sophomores, a junior and two seniors who start for us. They all get along very well.”

Algonquin is paced this season by 6-foot-8 sophomore center A. J. Brodeur, who averages a team-high 18 points per game. Seniors Brandon Lukoff (13 points) and Brad Canova (10 points) are also averaging in double figures, while sophomore playmaker Mike Stamas is scoring 12 point per game.

“A.J. is getting stronger and his confidence is building more and more, and Mike Stamas is our point guard, and the two have played together since fourth grade,” Doherty said. “With Brad Canova and Brandon Lukoff, those four are just unbelievable together.”

The squad has had fine two-way play from junior Tim Armata, while seniors Jackson Brodeur, Bob Campbell, Mike Furlong, Sean Hill and Will Porter have made key contributions.

Other players added to the mix are juniors Ben Jachowicz, Tim Keville and Nick Speranzella.

While Algonquin has enjoyed success in many sports, the boys’ basketball team hasn’t won a district title in more than a dozen years.

The 2000 and 2001 teams won back-to-back Division 2 titles under coach Tom Bertonazzi, who is back on the scene as Doherty’s assistant.

In the meantime, Doherty will continue to trek out toward the bucket during timeouts, then wind his way back to the bench for his well-planned pep talks.

“It doesn’t do me any good to get in there and tee off. They know how to play, I respect them, and they respect me,” he said. “When they need that little push, I’ll give them a push. But it’s going to be in a positive way. And so far, it’s working well for us.”

In his 20 years as Algonquin girls’ basketball coach, Ron Jones has the correct formula how to put a winning team on the court.

“I’ve always said, ‘Give me an athlete and you can make them into a good basketball player,’ ” he said.

And while some teams pride themselves on players who focus on just one sport, the No. 5-ranked Tomahawks (12-3) have many two- and three-sport athletes who have showcased their athletic talents on the basketball floor this winter.

“We have a lot of really good athletes, and of the 13 kids on the varsity team, all of them play at least one other sport, if not two, at the high school,” he said.

Several of the players, such as junior Julianne O’Connell and sophomore Kendyl Finelli, were on last spring’s district champion and state finalist girls’ lacrosse team.

And senior co-captain Chloe Andre, classmate Michela Horne and juniors Lucy LeBlond, Amanda Murphy and O’Connell were on the district finalist soccer team.

Add to the mix volleyball standouts Emily Carens, Catherine Coad, Sarah Foster and Sarah Merchant and track performers Julia Insani and Olivia Giorlandino, and you have a team with a winning attitude.

Dorian McMenemy has perhaps the most interesting story. The sophomore, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Dominican Republic, swam last summer in the Olympics in London for the D.R. in the 50-meter butterfly.

“It’s like the old saying that success breeds success,” Jones said. “We have the type of kids who are all multiple-sport athletes.”

And when the girls are not playing other sports, many of them gain valuable experience as members of various AAU basketball teams.

“We’re very fortunate that we have two very good youth basketball programs in our two towns,” Jones added. “Of the 36 players in the program (freshman, JV and varsity), nearly 16 of them are currently playing on AAU teams. At the middle school level, there are another 10.”

Murphy, with a team-leading 224 points this season, and LeBlond (127) are also outstanding soccer players, while senior co-captain Merchant averages 7.7 points.“Two of our senior captains, Chloe Andre and Sarah Merchant, have been keys to our team and their leadership on the floor has been exemplary,” Jones said.

Algonquin qualified for the postseason for the 14th year in a row.

“We were a little inconsistent a couple of weeks ago, but we got over that and we’re playing well again,” Jones said. “It may have been good for us and for the girls to know you have to come to play every night.”

Two years ago, the Tomahawks captured the Central Mass. Division 1 title by defeating Shrewsbury, and fell to Amherst in overtime in the state semifinals. It was Algonquin’s first girls’ district title since 1979.

Last year, the Tomahawks lost in the first round to eventual district champion Wachusett Regional.

“We lost last year to Wachusett in a very competitive game by four in their gym, and I think one of our goals this year is to get a high seed and a playoff game in our gym. We’d like to make it back to the final four again,” Jones said.

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